Winter sports regions both in Switzerland and the Northeastern U.S. have recently faced the same threats: unseasonably warm weather and thin snow cover. While it is difficult to quantify the impact weather has on the winter sports industry, it is clear that snowfall has a direct effect on consumer purchases and participation levels. But it is not only climate change that has tremendous consequences on the winter sports industry and its manufacturers, it is also the continuous challenges to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with technology trends in order to satisfy the consumer, be it in terms of product quality or service delivery.

Within the framework of “ThinkSwiss – Brainstorm the Future”, the Consulate of Switzerland – SHARE Boston is organizing a series of informative and entertaining presentations with the goal to showcase Switzerland’s strengths in innovation in the area of snow and winter sports. SHARE is therefore partnering up with the following three Swiss institutions that constantly try to reinvent their products and services:

Skis made of stone.

Impossible? Think again. Stone has ideal characteristics for this application: enormous compressive strength, dynamic resilience while at the same time retaining its shape, and very important: stone damps out vibrations. To optimally exploit all these positive characteristics, it must be made bendable, which was achieved by enclosing stone in carbon fiber. Get to see the most innovative ski on the market, built with a core of Grisons granite, made by zai ski.

Sweating for Science.

Researchers at Empa – Materials Science and Technology (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research) are investigating the effects of sports clothing on human body temperature control, a process scientifically known as Thermoregulation. In contrast to conventional sports suits, different parts of the new garment are made of different materials to suit the various parts of the body, a technique called “body mapping”. In order to stimulate human perspiration the institute has developed its own sweating robot called Sam (“sweating agile mannequin”), an articulated dummy that perspires through innumerable minute openings just like a human being. In addition, nanotechnological procedures applied to textiles show great promise.

Cableway operators learn the ropes.

Swiss Ropeways (Seilbahnen Schweiz) is the association linking Switzerland's 450 main cable car and ski-lift operators. With its 219 reversible ropeways, 116 gondolas, 329 chairlifts and 1030 surface lifts they carried 310 million persons in 2006. One year ago, it started the world's first government-recognized qualification for cableway employees in a drive to introduce common standards and improve quality. Located at a former army base in the heart of the Swiss Alps, the training centre is also being used for shorter courses on everything from piste patrol and emergency rescue services to using explosives for controlled avalanches.

To view the invitation including agenda please click here.